Recent recognitions of Kosovo, and South Ossetia and Abkhazia as well, prove that international law is practically no longer valid, if it ever was. The West has recognised Kosovo explaining that it is reality, that the will of the people has to be accepted, adding that Serbia, after military intervention, has lost the legitimacy over its south province.
Russia was against, but has violated the moral right on it after its recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Ironically, Western countries support territorial integrity of Georgia, although Russia claims that international law, UN Chapter, and the Helsinki Final Act were respected. Therefore, the situation is same, only the parties have switched their roles and argumentation.
Being the pole of international law, the United Nations are not capable in facing challenges and requests of modern world. World organisation attitude was disregarded numerous times, from Korean War, Soviet interventionism during Hungarian revolution and the Prague Spring, Vietnam War, Soviet invasion on Afghanistan, US secret interventions in Latin America, to NATO attacks on FR of Yugoslavia, the American invasion of Iraq and conflict in Georgia.
Under these circumstances, the Group of Eight, i.e. the Group of Seven industrial most developed countries including Russia, represent major global authority, alike particular government on an international level, which decides on global matters such are energy issues, human rights, economy, climatic changes, etc.
From that aspect, the European Union, despite its economic power, stands as a political factor with considerable weaknesses in international relations. Efficient common foreign and security policy of the EU is still challenging its 27 member-countries, although the Union participates in military and political engagements, like the Madrid Quartet on the Middle East, EUFOR in Bosnia, missions in Indonesia and EULEX in Kosovo.
Ian Bancroft, the co-founder of TransConflict, an organisation undertaking conflict transformation projects and research throughout the Western Balkans, has recently commented for British Guardian that position of the EU in the United Nations weakened, because European countries enforced double standards - they refuse discussing on their own problems that concern human rights and ignore critics that regard to USA`s constant violation of international law.
"The decisions of EU member states themselves cannot and should not be exempt from legal scrutiny; nor should attempts be made to threaten Serbia`s European prospects in a cynical bid to deter its recourse to legal means", he commented on recent Serbia`s draft resolution adoption by the UN General Assembly.
According to the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) study, based on long-term voting model in the UN major bodies, Western policy, particularly policy of the EU, looses rapidly its influence in global organisations regarding human rights, freedom and multilateralism, due to drastic change in balance of power in favour of China, India, Russia and Islamic countries.
Western policy failure, which was initiated during previous decade, is obvious in many troublespots, from Burma to Zimbabwe, from Georgia to Balkans.
"No other current world crisis has demonstrated the downfall of European influence so evident, as Kosovo conflict did", it is underlined in the ECFR report, which also points out that EU countries had united stand on Ahtisaari`s plan during 2007, after which European diplomats in the UN admitted that the consensus was not achieved during negotiations, despite reputedly cohesion in Brussels.
The study also shows that 72 percent of UN members supported European policy on human rights ten years ago, but only 48 percent last year. The support for American policy in the UN has failed more drastically - from 77 to 30 percent only. On the contrary, China and Russia, which maintain state sovereignty and policy of non-interference, share different experience according to the ECFR study. Support for Russian and Chinese policies on human rights have increased from 50 to 74 percent.
Authors have also noticed that there was an alliance between the West and Islamic countries in favour of Bosnian Muslims and Kosovo Albanians during Balkan wars, and that it no longer exists. That is why the EU and the West can count on just three major allies of the Organisation of Islamic Conference members - Turkey, Bosnia and Hercegovina and Afghanistan. One of the most apparent arguments that demonstrate failure of Western policy on human rights is the fact that the EU, as leading financier of world aid programmes and the UN, has no decisive political influence.
Richard Gowen, co-author of the ECFR study, believes that EU`s behaviour, particularly in case of Kosovo, leaves the impression of double standard policy, which has caused decline of its influence.
"In cases of Kosovo and Iraq, European countries have acted without the UN approval, and that circumstance has provoked intensity in intergovernmental relations, particularly with Latin America, because these countries respect the rule of law", says Gowen.
According to his statement, the United Nations do not stand for an ideal organisation, "a lot of controversial things are attached to the UN, but the EU is the one that is capable in creating new relations, demonstrating an understanding for different groups attitudes and offer them an assistance in promoting human rights more efficient".
"I would also like to stress that in the UN, despite Kosovo crisis and many other difficulties, Serbia always votes in favour of any EU initiative, because this country realises that it`s in its interest to be allied with such powerful organisation as the European Union is", explains Gowen, adding that "governments in Africa and Latin America, unfortunately, do not share Serbia`s opinion".
Authors of the study suggest that the EU has to appoint two or three officials in order to coordinate European foreign policy on third world countries in the UN. They recommend that the European Commission should establish annual strategy of voting and alliance assembling in the UN.
It is evident, however, that a new agreement has to be reached, that will define relations between world powers in middle term, and the EU is expected to appear united.
* Nenad Radicevic is a foreign affairs journalist with Politika daily** Published: 2008/10/17
